The Retro Blog

If you go to film school you will sit through Triumph of the Will at least once. You will have a lengthy debate over whether or not it’s ok to appreciate the film despite the fact that it’s blatant Nazi propaganda. The token class feminist will bemoan the fact that this is the only film made by a woman you will be seeing in this class. Your professor will defend the film, saying its visuals, skillful and innovative use of editing to music, and impressive cinematography force us as cinema lovers to look beyond the fact that the only message of the film is “yay Hitler!” Also, some Star Wars fan will inevitably bring up the fact that George Lucas references Triumph of the Will in the final scene of A New Hope. (I decided today that somebody should make a website that goes through every pre-1977 foreign film that became popular in America and list what shots and ideas George Lucas ripped off from them so that film school geeks would have an easier time turning every single class discussion into a discussion about Star Wars, but as with all things Star Wars and internet related, somebody’s pretty much already done that).

Admittedly the display of all those Germans marching in unison with those scary looking shovels is a bit hypnotic, but if impressive displays of timing are all you’re looking for, I much prefer this show put on by Italian motorcycle cops in the 1950’s. I think if you were an Italian criminal in the 50’s the absolute best time to commit a heist would have been in the weeks leading up to this rally. They must have needed to practice like crazy.

[via neatorama]